Combined table and cantilevered seat assembly

ABSTRACT

A preferably polygonal table is supported by longitudinally extending inverted U-shaped legs, the legs being connected into a rigid frame by laterally extending seat support members, each member having a free terminal end extending horizontally outwardly from intermediate of the height of an inclined leg to provide cantilever support for a seat. At least one seat is thus supported from each leg, with each leg sufficiently inclined to avoid unbalanced tilt of the assembly.

United States Patent (72] Inventor [2 l'] Appl. No. 122] Filed [45] Patented Raymond G. Degqne 37 River St.. Graniteville, Mas. 018 820,263

Apr. 29, 1969 Aug. 3, 1971 (54] COMBINED TABLE AND CANTILEVERED SEAT ASSEMBLY BChimgQDrnwlngFigs. [52] U.S.Cl. 297/157 [51] IILCI. "AND I00 [50] l'lelllolseorch 297/157,

21 11:82 1 Relereleu Cited 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,353,892 7/1944 Higgins 297/1 1 1 2,722,971 I 1/1955 Gallagher et all 2.752.987 7/1956 Smithers 297/141 X 3,063,571 11/1962 Stempler.... 211/182 X 3,226,154 12/1965 Allen 297/142 Primary Examiner-James T. McCall Attorney-Pearson & Pearson AISTRACT: A preferably polygonal table is supported by longitudinally extending inverted U-shaped legs, the legs being connected into a rigid frame by laterally extending seat support members, each member having a free terminal end extending horizontally outwardly from intermediate of the height of an inclined leg to provide cantilever support for a seat. At least one seat is thus supported from each leg, with each leg sufficiently inclined to avoid unbalanced tilt of the asrembly.

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INVENTOR.

1 1:9.v 3. RAYMIOND 5. DEGAGNE PM *Pmm ATTORNEYS PATENTEI] AUG 3197i 3,596, 985 sum 2 UF 2 INVENTOR. RAYMOND G. DEGAGNE P am Pea/won ATTORNEYS COMBINED TABLE AND CANTILEVERED SEAT ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It has long been known to provide a large table, with seats connected thereto, rather than movable in the conventional manner, such tables being often used for teaching small children. For example in US. Pat. No. 3,266,840 to DEstrube of Aug. 16, l966 and in US. Pat. No. 3,366,415 to Cooper of Jan. 30, 1968, such a table is shown in which both the table and the chairs have their own legs, the chair legs, however, making it difficult to clean under the assembly. Similar unitary table chair assemblies are disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,367,01 l to Demmien ofJan. 9, 1945 and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,1 16,088 to Thaxton of Dec. 31, 1963, there being legs under the chairs in the devices of both patents.

To overcome the disadvantage of supporting the chairs by chair legs reaching to floor level, it has been proposed as in US. Pat. No. 396,089 to Johnson of Jan. 15, 1889 and US. Pat. No. 3,226,154 to Allen of Dec. 28, 1965 to support each chair in cantilever fashion from the under side of the table, the supports being slidable or pivotable relative to the table for convenience of access.

In this invention the seats are cantilever supported by a member which extends horizontally outwardly away from an adjacent table leg, intermediate of the height of the leg, and then extends parallel to the adjacent edge of the table to support the seat at a spaced distance therefrom. Each seat support is an integral part of a cross frame member which extends laterally of the table and carries a similar seat support at the other free terminal end. The table legs are substantially inclined to avoid tilt and since they would be a barrier to access to seats anyway, no additional barrier effect is caused by supporting one seat, and preferably a pair of seats from midway of the leg, With a rectangular table it is thus possible to overhang the table ends beyond the legs and to support two seats at each end of each longer side, from each leg with no barrier between the pairs of seats on each side. DRAWINGS FIG. I is a plan view, FIG. 2 a side elevation and FIG. 3 an end elevation of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing an assembly in which the lateral supports are flat and planar.

FIG. 5 is a plan view and FIG. 6 a side elevation of an embodiment in which the table is square.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view and FIG. 8 is an end elevation of an embodiment in which the assembly is anchored on a wall as a counter, and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, side elevation of the slidable seat of the invention.

As shown in FIGS. l-3 the combined table and cantilevered seat assembly of the invention preferably includes an elongated rectangular tabletop 21 having two opposite longer sides 22 and 23 and two opposite shorter sides 24 and 25. The longitudinal centerline of table top 21 is designated 26 and the under side is designated 27.

Table leg means 30 is provided in the form of a pair of one piece, bent metal leg elements 31 and 32 of inverted U-shaped configuration. Each leg element 31 or 32 includes a central portion 33, which extends longitudinally under one of the longer sides 22 or 23 or table top 21 and is detachably fastened thereto as by bolts 34, and a pair of legs 35 and 36 each at an opposite end of portion 33. The legs 35 and 36 are substantially inclined from the vertical, as shown, and touch floor level 37 at points such as 38 which define a base of greater width than the width of table top 21 to avoid tilt. The outer wall, or face of the legs 35 or 36 is designated 39 and the inner wall, or face, thereof is designated 40, for a purpose which will be apparent hereinafter.

At least one seat support member 43 and 44 is provided at each end of the inverted, U-shaped, leg elements 31 and 32, and preferably two such supports are provided at each end thereof as at 43, 45 and 44, 46. Each seat support member such as 43 includes a central portion 47, which is preferably also of inverted U-shape, so that the: depending portions 48 and 49 at each end of the central portion may be fixedly connected by bolts 50 to the adjacent legs. Intermediate of the height of each leg, at about seat level, the laterally extending seat support members are bent outwardly, horizontally, away from the leg, as at 53, and then again bent horizontally into parallelism with the longitudinal centerline 26 and with the adjacent edge of tabletop 21 such as the longer sides 22 or 23 to form seat supports 54. The seat supports 54 are thus cantilevered from the legs with the laterally extending members 43 and 44 fixed to the outside 39 of the legs and the seat supports 54 bent away from each other and with the supports 45 and 46 fixed to the inside 40 of the legs and the seat supports 55 bent toward each other.

A plurality of identical seats 56 are provided, preferably of bucket type and of plastic, the seats 56 being adapted to nest for shipment and each preferably having a plate 57 on the under side with parallel tracks 58 which slide on a flat plate 59 clamped to the seat supports 54 and 55, as at 60, (FIG. 9). Each seat may thus be moved toward and away from the table edge in use, or may be entirely removed when slid up to nearly touch the table edge.

It will be seen that a pair of seats 56, each carried on a seat support 54 or 55, is cantilevered from each leg, the overhang 62 of the tabletop 21 at each end thereof being used by the occupants of the outer seats. The occupants of the inner seats can easily move into position in the unobstructed space 63 between the pairs of seats and outward flare of the legs prevents any possibility of tilt of the table when the table is unbalanced.

As shown in FIG. 4, the table top 21 may be supported on a pair of longitudinally extending leg elements 31 and 32 any by laterally extending seat support members 65 and 66 at each end, which are flat and bent only within a single plane. In such case the table top 21, leg supports 31 and 32 and seat supports 65 and 66, all may be packed in a thin package since they are all in parallel planes when so packed. As also shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of bolt holes 67 may be provided in each lateral and longitudinal frame member, so that one or more lateral seat supports may be raised or lowered to accommodate occupants of various ages.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 when the tabletop 21 is square, leg support members 70 and 71 which extend laterally between the inverted U-shaped leg elements 31 and 32 are preferably bent as at 72 and 73 so that one seat support 74 is parallel to edge 75 and the other seat support 756 is parallel to edge 77.

As shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8, in a counter installation against a wall 80, the table top 21 is supported by one longitudinally extending inverted U-shaped, leg member such as 31, the legs 35 and 36 thereof being suitably anchored to the wall as at 81 and 82 in a well-known manner as by lag screws. The lateral seat support members 83, 84, 85 and 86 also have one end such as 87 anchored tothe wall 80, the other ends being bent as shown for seat supports 88, 89, 90 and 91, all cantilevered from the adjacent legs.

What I claim is: l. A combined table and cantilevered seat assembly, said assembly comprising:

a tabletop of predetermined length and width; inverted, U-shaped, table leg means extending longitudinally under said tabletop and having a leg at each opposite end thereof, inclined from the vertical for support ing said tabletop at a predetermined height above floor level; at least two, one piece, cantilever, seat-support members, each extending laterally under said tabletop proximate, and fixedly connected to, one of said legs, each said member having at least one free terminal end portion extending horizontally outward from intermediate of the height of a leg and then bent horizontally into parallelism with an adjacent edge of said tabletop to form a seat support at a spaced distance from said edge;

and a plurality of seats, each mounted on one of said seat supports for cantilevered support from the adjacent table leg and independent of any other support extending to floor level.

2. An assembly as specified in claim 1 wherein:

said table top is of square configuration, and

each said seat support member has a central portion extending laterally at the level of the table top, and opposite free terminal end portions, one bent parallel to one edge of said table top and the other bent parallel to an adjacent edge of said tabletop.

3. An assembly as specified in claim 1 wherein:

there are two said one piece cantilever seat support members, proximate, and fixedly connected to, each one of said legs, the seat support portion of one said member being bent oppositely to the bend in the other said member to support a pair of seats in juxtaposition at each leg of said assembly.

4. An assembly as specified in claim 1 wherein:

said table is of elongated rectangular configuration adapted to overhang each opposite end of said table leg means,

said table led means comprises a pair of inverted, U-shaped leg elements, each extending longitudinally under one of the longer sides of said tabletop,

said assembly includes a pair of said one-piece seat support members at each opposite end of said leg elements, one affixed to the outside, and the other affixed to the inside of the legs thereof,

and said seat support members support a pair of juxtaposed seats, in cantilever fashion from each leg of said assembly,

whereby free access is achieved to said seats in the space between each pair thereof.

5. An assembly as specified in claim 1 wherein:

each said seat support includes a horizontal plate afiixed thereto;

and each said seat includes a pair of tracks on the underside thereof slidable on said plate;

whereby each said seat may be moved toward and away from said table on said support.

6. An assembly as specified in claim 1 wherein:

said tabletop, said inverted U-shaped, table leg means and 7. A combined table and cantilevered seat assembly, said assembly comprising:

an elongated, rectangular table top;

a pair of laterally spaced, inverted, U-shaped, table leg means, each extending longitudinally under one of the opposite longer sides of said top, each having a leg at each opposite end thereof inclined outwardly and downwardly at a substantial angle to outline a base at floor level of substantially greater width than the width of said tabletop;

two pairs of one-piece, cantilever seat support members,

each pair extending laterally under said tabletop and fixedly connecting the adjacent legs of said U-shaped means, one on the outside and the other on the inside thereof; each pair of said members being bent at each opposite, free, terminal end thereof horizontally outwardly away from the adjacent leg intermediate the height thereof and then into parallelism with the longitudinal centerline of said table to form a pair of cantilevered seat supports at each said end;

and a plurality of pairs of seats, each pair mounted in juxtaposition on the said cantilevered seat supports at each end of said members, said pairs being longitudinally spaced apart to permit a user to pass between adjacent pairs thereof.

8. A dining table for a family of at least eight, said table comprising:

an el on ated rectan ular tabletop; a pair 0 inverted -shaped leg means, each extending longitudinally under one of the opposite longer sides of said top and having outwardly inclined legs for supporting said tabletop above floor level;

two pairs of inverted U-shaped seat support members, each pair extending laterally under one of the opposite shorter sides of said top and fixedly connected between the adjacent legs of said leg means to form a rigid table frame;

each said seat support member having a free terminal end bent horizontally away from the adjacent leg and into parallelism with the longitudinal centerline of said top to form a seat support cantilevered from said leg, and

a plurality of identical seats, each mounted on one of said seat supports whereby a pair of persons may be seated at each end of each longer side of said table with no obstruction to passage into the space between the pairs on each side. 

1. A combined table and cantilevered seat assembly, said assembly comprising: a tabletop of predetermined length and width; inverted, U-shaped, table leg means extending longitudinally under said tabletop and having a leg at each opposite end thereof, inclined from the vertical for supporting said tabletop at a predetermined height above floor level; at least two, one piece, cantilever, seat-support members, each extending laterally under said tabletop proximate, and fixedly connected to, one of said legs, each said member having at least one free terminal end portion extending horizontally outward from intermediate of the height of a leg and then bent horizontally into parallelism with an adjacent edge of said tabletop to form a seat support at a spaced distance from said edge; and a plurality of seats, each mounted on one of said seat supports for cantilevered support from the adjacent table leg and independent of any other support extending to floor level.
 2. An assembly as specified in claim 1 wherein: said table top is of square configuration, and each said seat support member has a central portion extending laterally at the level of the table top, and opposite free terminal end portions, one bent parallel to one edge of said table top and the other bent parallel to an adjacent edge of said tabletop.
 3. An assembly as specified in claim 1 wherein: there are two said one piece cantilever seat support members, proximate, and fixedly connected to, each one of said legs, the seat support portion of one said member being bent oppositely to the bend in the other said member to support a pair of seats in juxtaposition at each leg of said assembly.
 4. An assembly as specified in claim 1 wherein: said table is of elongated rectangular configuration adapted to overhang each opposite end of said table leg means, said table led means comprises a pair of inverted, U-shaped leg elements, each extending longitudinally under one of the longer sides of said tabletop, said assembly includes a pair of said one-piece seat support members at each opposite end of said leg elements, one affixed to the outside, and the other affixed to the inside of the legs thereof, and said seat support members support a pair of juxtaposed seats, in cantilever fashion from each leg of said assembly, whereby free access is achieved to said seats in the space between each pair thereof.
 5. An assembly as specified in claim 1 wherein: each said seat support includes a horizontal plate affixed thereto; and each said seat includes a pair of tracks on the underside thereof slidable on said plate; whereby each said seat may be moved toward and away from said table on said support.
 6. An assembly as specified in claim 1 wherein: said tabletop, said inverted U-shaped, table leg means and said one piece, seat support, members are each generally flat and planar, whereby, despite any bends therein, said assembly, exclusive of said seats, can be packed in a compact, relatively thin package for shipment.
 7. A combined table and cantilevered seat assembly, said assembly comprising: an elongated, rectangular table top; a pair of laterally spaced, inverted, U-shaped, table leg means, each extending longitudinally under one of the opposite longer sides of said top, each having a leg at each opposite end thereof inclined outwardly and downwardly at a substantial angle to outline a base at floor level of substantially greater width than the width oF said tabletop; two pairs of one-piece, cantilever seat support members, each pair extending laterally under said tabletop and fixedly connecting the adjacent legs of said U-shaped means, one on the outside and the other on the inside thereof; each pair of said members being bent at each opposite, free, terminal end thereof horizontally outwardly away from the adjacent leg intermediate the height thereof and then into parallelism with the longitudinal centerline of said table to form a pair of cantilevered seat supports at each said end; and a plurality of pairs of seats, each pair mounted in juxtaposition on the said cantilevered seat supports at each end of said members, said pairs being longitudinally spaced apart to permit a user to pass between adjacent pairs thereof.
 8. A dining table for a family of at least eight, said table comprising: an elongated rectangular tabletop; a pair of inverted U-shaped leg means, each extending longitudinally under one of the opposite longer sides of said top and having outwardly inclined legs for supporting said tabletop above floor level; two pairs of inverted U-shaped seat support members, each pair extending laterally under one of the opposite shorter sides of said top and fixedly connected between the adjacent legs of said leg means to form a rigid table frame; each said seat support member having a free terminal end bent horizontally away from the adjacent leg and into parallelism with the longitudinal centerline of said top to form a seat support cantilevered from said leg, and a plurality of identical seats, each mounted on one of said seat supports whereby a pair of persons may be seated at each end of each longer side of said table with no obstruction to passage into the space between the pairs on each side. 